- Joined
- Apr 5, 2009
- Messages
- 85
I recently purchased a Boker VoxKnives Gnome neck knife. It is made in China from 12C27 steel. This tiny little thing sells for $20-$25 online. Mine is serial #0263.
Size - Small!
At 4" overall, the entire knife is slightly longer than my middle finger, and a little taller than a quarter. The whole knife is as long as the handle on a Cold Steel Spike. It is moderately thick and compares to full-sized fixed blades, but is thinner than an original Spike. The micarta handles and holes kind of give it the look of a micro Busse.
Ergonomics - Very Good (for the size)
This knife is so little that it doesn't have a handle per se. Holding it is a lot like choking up on an ordinary fixed blade using the choil, but then having nothing behind your index finger. Your middle finger rests against the back end of the knife and your thumb presses against the back of the blade. This arrangement works pretty well, and is as good as it gets for something this small. You can also put your middle finger in the choil and run your index finger along the top of the blade.
I doubt you'd want to chop down many trees with this knife, but it's pretty comfortable.
Fit & Finish - Good
With a $20-$25 street price, the quality is entirely acceptable. My blade grind is a little uneven, there are some invisible burrs that catch my fingers, and the sheath doesn't fit well. Actually, the sheath feels like an afterthought, as the fit is both too tight (it was grinding out plastic bits at first), and also kind of sloppy once the knife is inside. Plus, the sheath is squared off and too bulky for the size of the knife.
Blade/Cutting
The blade is hollow ground and the geometry looks good, but I haven't cut much with it yet (hence calling this first impressions rather than a review).
Overall - Very Good (but final judgment TBD)
This design makes sense in a lot of ways for utility, detail, and package opening tasks. More info after I've had a chance to use it. I wish it was marketed as a utility knife rather than a neck knife, and sold with a better sheath. My wife doesn't like most of my knives as they are "too dangerous," but this one is cute even for her. She also likes the Mini Cooper...
Size - Small!
At 4" overall, the entire knife is slightly longer than my middle finger, and a little taller than a quarter. The whole knife is as long as the handle on a Cold Steel Spike. It is moderately thick and compares to full-sized fixed blades, but is thinner than an original Spike. The micarta handles and holes kind of give it the look of a micro Busse.
Ergonomics - Very Good (for the size)
This knife is so little that it doesn't have a handle per se. Holding it is a lot like choking up on an ordinary fixed blade using the choil, but then having nothing behind your index finger. Your middle finger rests against the back end of the knife and your thumb presses against the back of the blade. This arrangement works pretty well, and is as good as it gets for something this small. You can also put your middle finger in the choil and run your index finger along the top of the blade.
I doubt you'd want to chop down many trees with this knife, but it's pretty comfortable.
Fit & Finish - Good
With a $20-$25 street price, the quality is entirely acceptable. My blade grind is a little uneven, there are some invisible burrs that catch my fingers, and the sheath doesn't fit well. Actually, the sheath feels like an afterthought, as the fit is both too tight (it was grinding out plastic bits at first), and also kind of sloppy once the knife is inside. Plus, the sheath is squared off and too bulky for the size of the knife.
Blade/Cutting
The blade is hollow ground and the geometry looks good, but I haven't cut much with it yet (hence calling this first impressions rather than a review).
Overall - Very Good (but final judgment TBD)
This design makes sense in a lot of ways for utility, detail, and package opening tasks. More info after I've had a chance to use it. I wish it was marketed as a utility knife rather than a neck knife, and sold with a better sheath. My wife doesn't like most of my knives as they are "too dangerous," but this one is cute even for her. She also likes the Mini Cooper...
